“I guess so,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “She made it clear lunch wasn’t a date,” I added. “So don’t get that look.”
“What look?”
“Mmm hmm.”
“Delaney is… how do I put this… in transition.”
“Transition?” Beck chuckled. “You make her sound like a vampire.”
“You’re not watchingTrue Bloodagain, are you?” Pia asked him.
Beck’s rare silence answered for him.
“To me,” I stepped in before the two of them started a debate on the merits of watching new shows versus re-watching old ones, “it didn’t sound like a transition phase but more a ‘done with dating’ phase.”
Pia rolled her eyes. “Isn’t that the same phase all four of you were supposedly in when you agreed to the pact?”
“Whoa,” Beck said. “We took a bachelor pact. Not a non-dating pact. Big difference.”
“Huge,” Mason added.
“That’s what she said,” I finished, for good measure.
“Anyway.” Pia pretended we hadn’t spoken. “Just think of it like Delaney took the bachelor pact too. She’s totally fine to date but has no interest, at the moment, in a boyfriend.”
I thought back to our conversation. “She specifically said, and I quote, ‘I’m not dating. Maybe ever.’ Which isn’t at all ‘totally fine to date.’”
Pia crossed her arms. “Oh, yeah? Then why, when I asked her what you two talked about, was she not able to remember because she, and I quote, ‘was too busy staring at him to think straight for half the lunch?’”
Mason and Beck made sounds that could land the two of them in a zoo if anyone overheard them. Bunch of animals. Toddler animals. Not that I was judging since I probably would have made a similar sound if we weren’t talking about me.
More importantly, “She said that?”
“My lips are sealed. I’ve already said too much.”
“A bit too late to seal them, Pia.” Mason reached for her again, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms around her.
“Well, I’m not saying any more,” she clarified. “Except that… maybe Delaney just needs to realize not all guys are assholes.”
“I can—” Beck started, until all three of us said, “No,” at the exact same time.
“I’m not looking for anything serious either, as you know. But I don’t want to fuck around with your friend.”
“Except literally,” Beck said.
Everyone ignored him.
“Delaney is a big girl and can take care of herself,” Pia said. “Just like you’re a big boy, and I won’t try to pressure you.”
I would have muttered, “Too late,” but that sounded way too much like Beck for my taste. Pia pushed away from Mason, reached up to kiss him on the cheek, and then headed back out of the kitchen.
But not before pausing at the door to add, “Though she did ask me if you’d be there.”
With a wiggle of her fingers, Pia left.
I looked at Mason.
“Nothing I can do. She’s uncontrollable. Nice socks, by the way.”
